B.C. has 50 new COVID-19 cases since Saturday, Bonnie Henry reports

B.C. recorded 39 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday and 11 more on Sunday, including single cases of the novel coronavirus at two more senior care facilities in the Fraser Health region.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the 50 cases over the weekend bring B.C.’s total to 1,998. Outbreak protocol is continuing at 21 care homes and three acute care hospital units in B.C.

Two care facilities in Abbotsford, MSA Manor Home and Valhaven Home, each have had a single positive test for COVID-19, Henry said April 27. Central City Lodge in Vancouver has been declared clear of the coronavirus, for a total of 21 active long-term care outbreaks.

B.C. is currently doing about 3,000 tests a day on residents with respiratory symptoms, and there is enough capacity to test everyone who reports symptoms, Henry said. The latest result of only 11 positive tests in the past 24 hours is an encouraging sign as B.C. examines the return of school and other group activities sharply restricted by COVID-19 public health orders, she said.

Health Minister Adrian Dix gave his condolences to the families three more people who have died with conditions related to COVID-19, bringing B.C.’s total deaths to 103.

Public health teams continue to deal with outbreaks among staff at two Lower Mainland poultry processing plants. Superior Poultry in Coquitlam has 25 positive tests, with ongoing investigation of family and other contacts, and there are 34 positive tests from United Poultry in Vancouver.

Henry said investigation continues of people travelling from B.C. to Imperial Oil’s Kearl Lake oil sands mine and processing facility in northern Alberta. There have been 11 positive tests in B.C. from the group, and Henry said there have been difficulties getting contact information from their employer to check their exposure to others.

There are several hundred B.C. residents connected with the Kearl Lake project who should be self-isolating if they or any of their close contacts are showing symptoms such as cough and fever, Henry said.